Electric gasifier



Jan. 2, 1934. H, GAMARD ELECTRIC GASIFIER Filed May 22, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 2, 1934;

H.GAMARD ELECTRIC GAS IFIER Filed May 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJan. 2, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC GASIFIER,

Henri Gamard, Bourges, France Application May 22, 1930, Serial No.454,783, and i in France May 30, 1929 4 Claims. (Cl. 48-403) In theactual apparatus producing hydrocarbon-gases, except those utilizing awick for ascension of the hydrocarbon by capillarity, the

static level of the. hydrocarbon is situated above 5: the level of thenozzle for gas-outlet, owing to the factthat the reservoir ofhydrocarbon is placed for natural load, or. owing to a pressure exertedupon the free surface of the hydrocarbon, the ,efiect'being of coursethe same in both 01 cases. If, in such cases, the burner isextinguishedfor some fortuitous reason, without the cocks being shut, adangerous out-flow of the liquid is produced, followed by obvious inconveniences.

The, present invention relates to a gasifier heated, electrically andsecuring a constant level of the hydrocarbon below the level of theescaping gaseous fluid, even during the utilization.

i The gasifying of the hydrocarbon in a tube dipping freely into thereservoir of hydrocarbon is produced by electrical heating of this tube,which heating is adjustable by contacts and a hand-lever, the heatingtube together with the heating resistance wound upon this tube by ,2joined turns, being constituted especially for the purpose to developthe greatest heat at the moment of starting, and to distributethereafter the heatregularly and judiciously during run.

The main feature of the gasifier according to the inventionconsists inthat it contains itself all means for admission, filtration, heating andgasifying of the hydrocarbon, the gasifier constituting in such manneran independent body which is; removable and exchangeable at any moment,locked by a multipolar jack serving for admission of the electriccurrent, so as to ensure an automatic breaking of the circuit whenremoving the gasifier. r

Further features will bealluded to in the course of the followingdescription referring to the ac companying drawings representing, in theway of anexample, a preferred embodiment of the subject-matter of theinvention.

In the drawingszr i Fig. 1 is a diagra matic vertical sectional view ofthe apparatus with the electrical contacts and switch lever detached andshown in plan.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a burner provided with a gasifieraccording to the invention; i v I q Figs. 3 and 4 are two perspectiveviews of the head part of the gasifier. i

In Fig. 1, a is a reservoir for liquid hydrocarbon, communicating freelyat b with the atmos- 51 "phere and adjoining a casing 0 containing atubed dipping freely into it and serving for the upward flow and for thegasifying of the liquid hydrocarbon.

In the interior or, preferably, upon the outer surface of the gasifyingtube (1 an electrical resistance e is provided, furnishing the heatnecessary for gasifying, the. current being controlled either by anindependent resistance or, preferably, with regard to the dissipation ofheat, by subdivision of this resistance into three parts e1, e2, '63included in the circuit either separately or simultaneously by asuitable switch comprising contacts f1, f2, fa, f4 and a hand-lever g.

If the hand-lever is upon the dead contact f4, no current flows and thelevel of the hydrocarbon, n1i, in the tube is the same as in thereservoir (1.

If the resistances heat the hydrocarbon and gasify it (by vaporization,by catalysis or in any other way) the gas escapes, at one part, throughthe nozzle h and drives, at the other part, the liquid back in the tubed, owing to the relatively small size of the aperture h, down to anequilibrium-level n'r n, the difference H between nn and n'n' affordinga measure of the pressure of the gas at d in the-tube d. The variationof the current increases or diminishes this pressure and consequentlythe output at the nozzle h-.

According to a preferred embodiment the tube d open at'the bottom andclosed at the top consists of red copper and is contained within aprotecting sleeve i having an annular bottom 1'', so that an insulatingair-layer is maintained between the liquid column contained in the tubed to be heated, and. the liquid situated around the sleeve i and in thereservoir.

Upon the tube 11 covered by a layer (1" of mica, the resistance wirewhich is insulated is wound, its adjoining turns or spires coveringwholly the surface to be heated, which arrangement has the advantage ofsecuring the emission of a very great heat by a very small mass.

The first fraction e1 of the resistance, the so called startingresistance, (contact f1) covers the tube region contained between themaximum level n-n and the minimum level n"n" of the hydrocarbon in thereservoir.-

This starting resistance draws more current than the resistance ofutilization and is concentrated in a limited zone in order to carryrapidly this region to a high temperature so as to obtain a nearlyinstantaneous gasifying.

Theutilization resistances can be multiple; two

of them are supposed in the embodiment dealt with.

1. For the accelerated run-contact fz-use is made of two fractions e1e2, viz at one part, of the starting resistance and, at the other part,of a fraction e2 adjoining it at the lower part and wound with the samewire. Consequently the tube is heated in the region e1+e2 extendingitself at least'up. to the highest level w-n of the hydrocarbon, inorder to avoid the formation of gas bubbles in the lower regions of thetube.

Such a formation of gas bubbles in the lower part of the tube isobjectionable because it could drive the liquid and cause itsout-flow'through' With'the purpose to avoid driving of the liquid towardthe nozzle and to heat more'effectlvely the upper part of this tube,which condition is important for slowrun, in order toavoid'condensation.

The electrical distribution is obtained in the following way:

9' are the plugs of a contact plug carried by the head is of porcelain(Fig. 3) surmounting the gasi her, the wire 0 being connected to thisplug, whereas the following wires 1, 2, 3 (Fig. 1) are connected to thecontacts f1, f2, f3 situated below the head (Fig. 3).

The-contacts f1, f2, f3 are rubbing against the spring contact I of ahand-lever g of the switch, the contact 1 being constantly connected tothe other pole of the current-source by a-contact Z' rubbing against asegment q appropriately placed in the circuit. 7

The hand-lever g pivoted at g is drawn constantly by a spring 9" towardthe contact f2 so as to avoid a useless continued contact with thestarting contact f1 and consequently an exaggerated consummation ofcurrent. The spring g" places hence automatically the lever g upon thecontact f2 as soon asthis lever is let out.

The cap k of the gasifier, of insulatingmate rial, such as porcelain,protectsthecontacts and serves as support for the pipe m of the burner m(Fig. 2) which pipe is suitably centering in the basin 7c (Fig. 4) withregard'to' the spraying hole h.

The protecting sleeve 2" is surrounded at the top'and at the bottom byasbestos rings i"'in order to insulate thegasifi'er from the case 0 ofthe reservoir while securing thecentering of the gasifier (sufficientplay being of course left for the passage ofthe liquid).

The gasifier constituted in such manner forms an independent whole whichis readily accessible and demountable and whichremains-out of electriccontact with the rest of the furnace even if a resistance wire touchesfortuitously any. metallic part within the gasifier.

The head k of the gasifier reposes on a base element p of porcelain orany other insulating material, connected'to the reservoir and carryingthe contact-segment.

Locking of the head'k' upon the base element p is effected by the socketmember r of the contact The last free-- plug (Fig. 4), serving forconducting the current to the gasifier, so as to break the currentautomatically when removing the gasifier for inspection or exchange.

For the filtration of the hydrocarbon a filter s is provided in the tubed, this filter supported by a wire 5' or the like (for inspection)serving accessorily for the transmission of heat by conductibility intothe interior of the liquid. mass and for dampening the oscillations ofthe liquid level in the interior of the tube d.

The invention is of course not limited to the sole embodiment describedand represented, since it'per'mits; without deviation from its scope,the most manifold modifications with regard to the whole arrangement, tothe details to the shape dimensions and the material employed.

The burner can be straight or of the horizontal type, as represented.

The gasifying tube d can consist of an insulating material (instead ofa'tube with a; double wall d',.i).

Finally, use could be made of the-conductivity oi-a metal piece heatedby the flame itself ol 'the burner; so as to permit employment of a partof thisfla-me or-of its heat'for gaslfy'ing the llquid column containedin the tube 13.

What I claim, is:

1; A hydrocarbon gas producer comprising a. reservoir fonliquidhydrocarbon, a sleeve closed! at its lower end and open' at: its upperend and provided at its upper end with a suppottfllg plate, a gasifying.tube in the and cawned thereby, said tube being open at its lame-end andprovided with a;- -jet orifice at its upper and, a: base" element on 1the reservoir, a; headcon prising a lower member and an upper memberdetachable from the" lower member, the said supporting plate of thesleevebeing secured to the lower member of the headand said lmbr' memberbeing detachably mounted onthe'base element, a mixing tube into whiehthe' jet mute of: the gasifying tube discharges, said mixing who beingdetachably mounted on the upper member of the head, heating means forthe gasifying tube comprising an electrical resist ance on said tube andincluding contacts ed onthe lower-member ofthe' headand'aswlttm levermounted on-the reservoir, each member of the head having an electrode onone" side ms thereof and an contacting cord having a socket membercommon to b'othpf said e1e'ctroees,-- sothat When'saidsocket member isapplied-tame" electrodesit= coactstherewith to det'acliably'' secure themembers of' the head' to'gethe'r.

2; In combination withareservoir for liquid hydrocarbon, having anopeningin the upper wall thereof, a gasifying tube, resistances mm! thesaid tube, a support flxedtosaid wall, a -l'read reposing removablyonsaid support, a mixingtube supported by said head, meansto said tubeandsaid resistances-to said headtope'rmlt' removal of the whole againstthe'actlonofgraivity, and a contact plug to admivcurr'envto saidresistancesand toalso flx said head to said support. v

3. In combinationwith a-reservoirfor liquid hydrocarbon, having awnaperture in the upper horizontal wall thereof, a sleeve closedat 'thebottom, to plunge vertically through said aper ture into said reservoir,a gasifyingtube within said sleeve, having an opening in saidbottbm toestablish communication of said: tube with said reservoir; filteringmeans-in sald'tulie; electrlcal reslstancesin the space betweensalwtubeand said sleeve, a. supporting member fixed to said wall, a head membervto repose removably on said supporting member and to support saidsleeve, said tube, said resistances and said filtering means and topermit the withdrawal of the whole against action of gravity, means onsaid head part to support a mixing tube, and a contact plug arrangedwith one of its contacts in said member and with the other of itscontacts in said head part to admit current when inserted and to permitwithdrawal of the head part with its adhering parts when withdrawn.

4. In combination with a reservoir for liquid hydrocarbon, having anaperture in the upper horizontal wall thereof, a sleeve closed at itslower end and open at its upper end, a gasifying tube in said sleeve andcarried thereby, said tube extending down to the bottom of said sleeveand communicating through an opening in said bottom with saidreservoin'a jet orifice in said tube near its upper closed extremity,electrical resistances between said tube and said sleeve, a supportingmember fixed to said wall, ahead member to repose removably on saidmember and to support said sleeve, tube, resistances and filtering meansand to permit withdrawal of the whole against action of gravity, meanson said head part to support a mixing tube, contacts on said head part,a switch lever in said supporting member-to cooperate with said contactsto control the resistances to be included in circuit, and a contact pluginsertible with one of its contacts into said supporting member and withthe other of its contacts into said head part to admit current wheninserted and to permit of the withdrawal of the head part with all itsadhering parts when withdrawn.

HENRI GAMARD.

